A Day of Silence

Healthier Spanish Rice

I love Spanish rice, and I'm not really a rice kind of gal.  I think my love of Spanish rice has something to do with the tomatoes and onions in it.  They give it some texture so it's not just a bowl of rice grains.  The only problem with Spanish rice is that it tends to be very unhealthy (and often cooked with chicken stock), so I decided to make a version using brown rice!  Boy it turned out great!

It really is quite simple and does most of the work itself.  You could easily make this with white rice if you wanted, or a combination of white and brown.  No matter what, it will be delicious!  It really is the perfect side to any home-cooked Mexican dinner.  We love it with my Crock Pot "Refried" Beans!

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 C chopped onion
1 1/2 C brown rice
2 C Imagine No-Chicken Broth (or veggie broth)
1 C chunky salsa (not salsa fresca, good ol' salsa-in-a-jar works best)

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add rice to the skillet and stir.  Cook until the rice begins to brown, about 5-10 mins.  
3. Stir in broth and salsa.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.  

Adapted from ilovetocook

Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Toasted Pecans

Beets are one of my daughter's favorite vegetables.  I'm not sure if it's because they are so sweet or if it's the bright red color.  :)  Either way, she always gets excited to bring some home.  I love finding new ways to enjoy them, and this is a delightful option.  It is very convenient that this can be made ahead of time.  It is best at room temperature, so it is perfect to bring to a holiday pot luck (doesn't hurt that is has festive red and green colors too!).  The sweet beets, mild goat cheese, and crunchy pecans give this dish an interesting texture and range of flavors.  It is sure to please a crowd!

Ingredients

2 bunches beets, washed and greens removed

2 Tbsp raspberry vinegar

4 Tbsp olive oil, divided

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 C toasted pecans, chopped

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

2 Tbsp chopped parsley

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place the beets in a baking dish and toss with 2 Tbsp olive oil to evenly coat.  Cover and bake approximately 1 hour, or until the largest beet is easily pierced with a knife.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.
2. Remove the skins and cut into small wedges.  Place into a bowl and toss with vinegar, remaining olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Top with pecans and goat cheese.
3. Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Top with parsley.  Enjoy!

Adapted from  Parents Magazine 12/12

Weekly Menu

Welcome to the start of another great week!  I am so excited because it is going to be beautiful here with a great mix of sun and showers.  It's really feeling like winter (well, as "winter-y" as it get's in Southern California) and we are taking full advantage.  We made our gingerbread house this past weekend, have had some lovely fires in the fireplace, and enjoyed snuggling under blankets.  But in the midst of all that, we got some great food from the farms this week!  We selected some kale, chard, beets, cilantro, orange and green cauliflower, red potatoes, parsnips, persimmons, guava, carrots, baby sweet onion, and tomatoes (I KNOW!  I can't believe they are still growing!)  With this variety, we will be enjoying the following meals:

• Spinach and Cheese Ravioli with my Farm Fresh Marinara and Beet Salad with Pecans and Goat Cheese
• using the beets

• Cheesy Mushroom Taquitos with Healthier Spanish Rice, Crock Pot "Refried" Beans, and Pico de Gallo
• using the cilantro and tomatoes

• Creamy Chard and Spinach Cold-Weather Soup with Roasted Root Vegetables
• using the chard and some spinach from last week, carrots, parsnips, and potatoes

• I will be having the Kaleslaw for lunch
• using the kale

• We will be making Cauliflower Popcorn for a snack and enjoying the persimmons and guava (how fun is that?!) as treats.

What's on your menu this week?  I'd love to know!

Roasted Chard with Feta

If you have been too wary to try chard, do I have the recipe for you!  This is my current obsession.  I LOVE this side dish!  It is not only easy, it is so delicious.  The leaves have a bit of a crunch on the edges (think kale chips), the onions are sweet, and the feta is rich and creamy.  The combination of flavors is great!  Roasting vegetables is such an easy way to incorporate them into your meals since there is so little hands-on time.  The oven does the work for you!  This dish will turn anyone into a fan of chard.  Try it and let me know what you think!

Ingredients

1 bunch Swiss chard, leaves and stems separated and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
salt and pepper to taste
4-5 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Using a jelly roll pan, combine the onions and chard stems (the leaves will be added later).  Drizzle 1 Tbsp of olive oil over them and toss to combine.  Spread out into an even layer.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Roast for about 15 minutes, or until the stems are soft and the onions start to brown around the edges.  
4. Toss the chard leaves in the remaining olive oil until evenly coated.  Layer the leaves over the stems and onions.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle the feta over the leaves.  Roast an additional 20 minutes until the edges of the leaves begin to crisp.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

Adapted from Xandismom

Hearty Vegetarian Chili

Chili is my absolute favorite winter meal.  Comfort in a bowl.  I LOVE IT!  This particular chili has been a house favorite for years.  It is filled with black and pinto beans, tomatoes, onions, and faux ground beef (it would be AMAZING with real beef too!).  I cook my own beans ahead of time to cut out the need for canned beans (loaded with extra salt).  Serve it with some cornbread and honey butter for the perfect meal.  This recipe is so easy and so delicious you will wonder how you ever survived a winter without it!

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

12 oz veggie ground beef (or about 1 pound ground beef)

1 Tbsp ground cumin

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp oregano

15 oz black beans and their juices

15 oz pinto beans and their juices
28 oz diced tomatoes and their juices
1 tsp salt
pepper and crushed red pepper to taste
freshly grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions to garnish

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional 1 minute.  Add veggie ground beef and and break it up with a spoon.  
2. Add cumin, chili powder, and oregano.  Stir frequently until veggie crumbles are broken up and heated through.  
3. Add black beans, pinto bean, and tomatoes, with their liquids, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer stirring occasionally for about 45 minutes.
4. Add salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.  Serve hot with the toppings of your choice!

Adapted from Food to Live By

Weekly Menu

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!  I really hit pay dirt at the farm this week!  There were so many delicious choices, I could barely control myself.  We are really into winter now (well, as winter as it gets in southern California), so I am really into making my comfort foods.  Warm, hearty, eat-by-the-fire-under-a-blanket sort of foods.  Luckily, the veggies available this week are perfect!  I selected some chard, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, romaine, kale, and tomatoes.  I also have some cabbage left over from last week.  With that, I will be cooking the following:

• Hearty Vegetarian Chili, Buttermilk Cornbread, and Simple Sauteed Cabbage
• using the cabbage

• My Famous Macaroni and Cheese with Homemade "Olive Garden" Salad
• using the broccoli, cauliflower, romaine, and tomatoes

• Spinach, Mushroom, and Feta Quiche and Roasted Chard with Feta
• using the spinach and chard

• I will be having Kaleslaw for lunches
• using the kale